The Etownian >> Opinion
Liberal arts education enriches future
Thursday November 19 2009
As scheduling times for the spring semester are quickly approaching, many of us are flipping through college catalogs, and trying to pick classes that fill our core while avoiding the dreaded 8 a.m. classes. Those who cringe at phrases like “My non-western cultural heritage is writing and research intensive!” and “One natural and physical sciences course must have a lab!” are probably wondering if the purpose of the core curriculum is just to make sure you are not having too much fun in college.However, students should be well aware that Elizabethtown is a liberal arts college, which means that it will not let one get away with taking all math courses if one is a math major. The idea is that, as a student in a liberal arts program, one will gain greater knowledge, insights on the world and an advantage over fellow job applicants.
Obviously, by educating ourselves in many different academic areas, we are going to gain greater knowledge. We will start to make connections between different subjects, form independent opinions and analyze writing on a critical level. Dr. Robert Harris, who holds a Ph.D. in English and has written several books, advocates the many benefits of a liberal education. According to http://www.VirtualSalt.com, “Good judgment, like wisdom, depends upon a thoughtful and rather extensive acquaintance with many areas of study … Exercise in various areas builds brainpower for whatever endeavor you plan to pursue.”
Also, one gains a greater insight on the world through a liberal arts program. With our core of non-western cultural heritage, social sciences, humanities and western cultural heritage, we have many options to choose classes that will teach us about foreign cultures, history and society. In addition, the power of language core for modern or ancient language will teach us about the countries in which people speak the language we are learning.
With greater knowledge of a broad variety of topics and the world, we will have a leg up against others pursuing the same jobs as we are. Not all colleges require students to take a foreign language, and even if we just take a 100-level course, it will add a positive attribute to our résumé. By studying multiple topics in various fields, we are showing our versatility and flexibility. Also, the WRI classes will improve our ability to write, which is an extremely desirable trait for employees in most professions. With these ingredients, we increase our chances of landing that dream job that pays well and is enjoyable.
However, as much as we say our liberal arts program is guaranteed to have the aforementioned benefits, there are always the slackers who will find ways to take those core classes that are not as challenging or are closely related to their majors. For example, math for liberal studies is a popular escape for English majors. Also, one can take the 100-level of French instead of taking a fifth year of Spanish.
The liberal arts program here at Etown will reward us if we take the time to challenge ourselves with harder classes. The education we receive here will enrich our lives and our careers, if we let it. Put the thoughts of difficulty and hard work aside; take those classes that will benefit you in years to come. As Harris says, “While a liberal arts education may not teach you how to take out an appendix or sue your neighbor, it will teach you how to think, which is to say, it will teach you how to live. And this benefit alone makes such an education more practical and useful than any job-specific training ever could” (http://www.virtualsalt.com).
The Etownian >> Opinion